Forehand and Backhand Groundstrokes: Articles, Videos, FAQs, Tips

Free photo and video tennis lessons on basic and advanced two-handed backhands, including two-handed backhand grips and a photo study of the Rafael Nadal two-handed backhand.

Free photo and video tennis lessons on basic and advanced one-handed backhands, including one-handed backhand grips, slice and topspin strokes, and photo studies of the Richard Gasquet and Amelie Mauresmo one-handed backhands.

Free photo and video tennis lessons on basic and advanced forehands, including forehand grips, Eastern and Western styles, slice and topspin strokes, and photo studies of the Roger Federer and Ana Ivanovic forehands.

How much loop to use in the forehand backswing is a subject of much debate among tennis teaching pros. Does a large or small loop, or perhaps a paused-loop, give you the best timing, racquet-head speed, and topspin?

Photos of Rafael Nadal hitting backhands illustrate mini tennis lessons on how to hit a two-handed backhand.

Stop-action photos illustrate this tennis lesson on how to hit the forehand on the rise.

Photos of Roger Federer hitting forehands illustrate mini tennis lessons on how to hit a great forehand.

Stop-action photos illustrate this tennis lesson on how to hit the basic Eastern forehand.

Stop-action photos illustrate this tennis lesson on how to hit the basic two-handed backhand.

Stop-action photos illustrate this tennis lesson on how to hit the basic one-handed backhand.

Test your knowledge of forehands and backhands.

Close-up photos of each major forehand grip, with comments on strengths and weaknesses.

Close-up photos of the Full Eastern, Modified Eastern, Continental, and Western one-handed backhand grips for tennis, with comments on their strengths and weaknesses for topspin, slice, and flat backhands.

Close-up photos of the most common two-handed backhand grips for tennis, with comments.

Stop-action photos illustrate this free tennis lesson on how to hit the inside-out forehand.

Stop-action photos illustrate this tennis lesson on how to hit the semi-open, semi-western forehand.

Stop-action photos illustrate this tennis lesson on how to hit the two-handed backhand on the rise.

Answers to questions on grips, stances, spins, and wrist motion.

Answers to questions on grips, stances, spins, and one versus two hands.

Video clip of a classic eastern topspin forehand, with instructional comments on key points of grip, stance, power production, and swing path.

Video clip of a classic topspin backhand on a low ball, using an Eastern backhand grip, with instructional comments on key points of grip, stance, power production, and swing path.

Video clip of a running one-handed backhand on a short ball, with instructional comments on strategic context, grips, footwork, backswing, swing, point of contact, and follow-through.

Photos illustrate this step-by-step lesson on how to hit the one-handed backhand topspin lob in tennis.

Photos illustrate this step-by-step lesson on how to hit the one-handed backhand sidespin slice in tennis.

Full-speed and slow-motion videos illustrate this free tennis lesson on how to hit the forehand approach shot.

Photos illustrate this step-by-step lesson on how to hit the forehand topspin lob in tennis.

Photos illustrate this comparison of the ideal points of contact and stances for the Eastern, Semi-Western, Western, Continental, and Hawaiian forehand styles.

Photos illustrate this comparison of the ideal points of contact for the Modified Eastern, Full Eastern, Continental, and Western one-handed backhand styles.

Video clip of a one-handed backhand on the rise, with instructional comments on strategic advantages, grips, footwork, backswing, swing, point of contact, and follow-through.

Mental and physical service return techniques, including adjustments in your backswing and spin, that you can use to return hard, kick, and slice serves.

Contemporary forehand grips have changed tennis.

How to fix problems with your backhand in tennis.

How to fix problems with your forehand in tennis: adjusting your forehand grip, swing, stance, and timing to hit better forehands.

An easy way to compare the Continental, Eastern, Western, and Semi-Western forehand grips for tennis.

Understanding the Continental, Eastern, Western, and two-handed backhand grips for tennis.

These two forehand stroking styles are quite different, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages in tennis.

Video clip of a one-handed sidespin slice backhand, with instructional comments on footwork, grip, stance, power production, and swing path.

Video clip of a basic two-handed backhand, with instructional comments on footwork, grip, stance, power production, and swing path.

Video clip of running to, then hitting a one-handed topspin backhand, with instructional comments on footwork, run path, and racquet preparation.

Video clip of a one-handed slice backhand, with instructional comments on footwork, grip, stance, power production, and swing path.

Video clip of a slice forehand drive, with instructional comments on footwork, grip, stance, power production, and swing path.

How to produce a high, deep topspin that will draw errors or short balls from your opponent in tennis.

Tactics that work well against one-handed backhands.

Video clip of running to, then hitting a classic eastern topspin forehand, with instructional comments on footwork, run path, and racquet preparation.

Video clip of running to, then hitting a crosscourt topspin eastern forehand with a same-side follow-through, and instructional comments on the swing path and balance used for this somewhat rarer stroke.

A simple how to on a fun, easy, solo game that will improve your topspin.

Tactics that work well against two-handed backhands.

Strategic uses and hitting techniques for the one-handed slice backhand.

Hitting on the rise gives you several advantages in tennis, but your timing, positioning, and point of contact with the ball must all be more precise.

Roger Federer was in serious trouble against Lleyton Hewitt in the third round of the 2009 US Open, but he made the adjustment to his forehand that he needed.